Technologies

Nintendo Switch 2: Everything We Know About the Console, New Games, Release Date

The $450 console will get Mario Kart World at launch, 4K gaming when docked, Switch 2 Edition game enhancements and new mouse controls.

The Nintendo Switch 2 console’s biggest reveal yet arrived Wednesday morning as part of the company’s Nintendo Direct event. This teed up a day of Switch 2 reveals that include its June 5 release date, a $450 price, its specs, and its initial game lineup that extends from launch into 2026.

The console will be further buoyed by having Mario Kart World as a launch title, which will go on sale in either a $500 bundle with the Switch 2 or on its own for $80 — making the open-world racing game one of Nintendo’s most expensive yet. Other games announced, such as Donkey Kong Bananza, are being priced around $70, which matches the cost of 2023’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. That Zelda game and Breath of the Wild are among the original Switch titles that will get enhanced Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrades, a premium upgrade allowing players to get new features, modes and graphical enhancements that take advantage of the newer system’s capabilities.

Here are the top highlights from Nintendo’s console event, all of the games we’ve heard about so far (including new titles, Nintendo Switch 2 Edition titles and GameCube games coming to Nintendo Switch Online) and all of our coverage so far. You can also check out our Nintendo Switch 2 live blog for even more updates about the Switch 2 as we learn them.

Nintendo Switch 2 console

The Nintendo Switch 2’s specs saw a noticeable technical bump over the Switch. The Nintendo Switch 2 has a 7.9-inch, 1080p resolution LCD that supports a 120Hz refresh rate — matching what we now see on most Android phones. When the Switch 2 is docked, compatible games can run in 4K resolution. The new dock also includes a cooling fan.

The Switch 2 comes with 256GB of internal storage, and the new Switch 2 Game Cards will load games faster. For digital libraries, however, the Switch 2 will only work with microSD Express cards, which are different from the microSD cards that are compatible with the prior Nintendo Switch. Nintendo will have a Software Transfer feature available to help move games and data from the original Switch to the Switch 2.

The new Joy-Con for the controllers will support mouse controls, and a new C button will be part of a new GameChat communication feature that allows both voice and video chat. There’s also a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, allowing players to see each other.

The Switch 2 also adds a second USB-C port to the top of the system, which Nintendo says can help connect its new camera accessory or charge the console when playing in tabletop mode. Nintendo also revealed a new Switch 2 Pro Controller with the C button and customizable GL and GR buttons on the back.

Following the presentation, Nintendo unveiled the system’s price of $450 in the US. It will also sell the Switch 2 bundled with a digital version of Mario Kart World for $500.

Mario Kart World

Mario Kart World removes its traditional boundaries and lets drivers roam freely across an entire world of race courses. The game will get its own Nintendo Direct later this month, where we’ll see additional details, but we already know it’ll include traditional races and a Free Roam mode, much like in the Forza Horizon series.

Getting the game bundled for an extra $50 on the cost of the Switch 2 might be the move if you are interested in the game, because Nintendo announced on its website that standalone copies of Mario Kart World will cost $80.

Joy-Con 2 C button and GameChat

Nintendo’s rolling out its new C button across several new Switch 2 controllers. The button will be used for the new GameChat communication features without a headset. The button will be used alongside a microphone on the console itself, which Nintendo says can be used whether it’s docked to a TV or in handheld mode.

In its teaser video, Nintendo promises the microphone will be able to cancel out loud background noises. GameChat will also work with a Nintendo Switch 2 Camera, allowing video chat and various camera-based game modes in supported titles. GameChat will be free at launch through March 31, 2026.

Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games upgrade titles

The Nintendo Switch 2 will play three types of games: original Switch games, Switch 2 games and Switch 2 Edition games that will receive substantial enhancements. For many of these Switch 2 Edition games, you’ll need to buy an upgrade pack if you own the original for Switch. Many of them will get more than just enhanced graphics in the upgrade; for example, Super Mario Party Jamboree will get new games that support the new Joy-Cons’ mouse controls, audio recognition and video camera gameplay options through the Switch 2 Camera.

Other Nintendo Switch games that are getting Switch 2 Edition options include The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Metroid Prime 4 Beyond and Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Enhancements vary: The Zelda games will start working with a companion phone app for maps and sending schematics to friends, while Kirby will get a new story that’s exclusive to the Switch 2 Edition. On the third-party side, Civilization 7 will get mouse controls.

Nintendo did not announce what upgrade packs will cost. However, some Switch games will get free updates that will improve performance or enhance features when playing them on the Switch 2. The Switch games getting these updates include:

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a new game set in the world of Zelda that tells the story that leads into The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. This appears to be similar to how Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity told the story of a war that led to the events of Breath of the Wild. The teaser shows Zelda discovering that she’s arrived in the past of Hyrule, and the game will expand on how she gets involved in the corresponding Imprisonment War.

Nintendo Switch 2 games

Several other first- and third-party games were spotlighted during the Switch 2 Direct. These include Donkey Bananza, one of the first 3D platforming games featuring DK since 1999’s Donkey Kong 64. Kirby will also return to the racing genre in Kirby Air Riders, which comes more than 20 years after the GameCube racer Kirby’s Air Ride. DragXDrive will use mouse controls to control a futuristic wheelchair basketball game in which players will simulate push and pull motions to control their character.

An onslaught of Switch 2 third-party games were quickly shuffled through during the Direct, which I list below. An unnamed James Bond game is in development at Hitman studio IO Interactive, as is a darker title from Elden Ring creator FromSoftware called The Duskbloods, which will be exclusive to the Switch 2.

The full list of announced Nintendo Switch 2 games includes:

Borderlands 4
Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster
Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion
Deltarune
Donkey Kong Bananza
Drag x Drive
EA Sports FC
EA Sports Madden NFL
Elden Ring Tarnished Edition
Enter the Gungeon 2
Fast Fusion
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade
Fortnite
Hades 2
Hitman World of Assassination — Signature Edition
Hogwarts Legacy
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
Kirby Air Riders
Kirby and the Forgotten Land — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Star-Crossed World
Kunitsu-Gai: Path of the Goddess
Mario Kart World
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
NBA 2K
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour
Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition
Pokemon Legends: Z-A — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Project 007
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Split Fiction
Star Wars Outlaws
Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions
Street Fighter 6
Super Mario Party Jamboree — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Jamboree TV
Survival Kids
The Duskbloods
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4
WWE 2K
Yakuza 0 Definitive Edition

Among these titles, you can see the full list of June 5 Switch 2 launch day games here.

Nintendo GameCube library coming to Switch 2

The Nintendo Switch Online game library will add GameCube games to the Switch 2. On launch day, these games will initially include The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, SoulCalibur 2 and F-Zero GX, with each game getting enhanced graphics. Online multiplayer will also be added to certain titles. Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Strikers and Luigi’s Mansion are among the games set to arrive later. At launch, Nintendo will also sell a GameCube controller, which will be wireless and include a C button for GameChat.

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for April 12, #1758

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for April 12, No. 1,758.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Wordle puzzle is a tough one, with a double letter that could throw you off. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has one repeated letter.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

Today’s Wordle answer has two vowels, plus one sometimes vowel.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with A.

Wordle hint No. 4: Last letter

Today’s Wordle answer ends with Y.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to a narrow passageway between or behind buildings.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is ALLEY.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, April 11, No. 1757, was PRUDE.

Recent Wordle answers

April 7, No. 1753: DENSE

April 8, No. 1754: INLET

April 9, No. 1755: LADEN

April 10, No. 1756: CAROM

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for April 12, #1036

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for April 12, No. 1,036.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle features a fun mix of categories. The purple one isn’t too hard today, it’s actually a fun one! Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Clothing element.

Green group hint: Viewpoint or outlook.

Blue group hint: Send out from something.

Purple group hint: Barbie is one.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Pants features.

Green group: Perspective.

Blue group: Emit.

Purple group: ____ doll.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is pants features. The four answers are belt loop, cuff, fly and pocket.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is perspective. The four answers are angle, position, stance and take.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is emit. The four answers are cast, project, radiate and shed.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ____ doll. The four answers are paper, rag, Russian and troll.

Technologies

Watch a Robot Stuff Cash Into a Wallet Just Like You Do

Generalist AI’s Gen-1 model is all about «teaching robots physical common sense.»

In 2026, we’re seeing robots progress by leaps and bounds with markedly improved dexterity, the kind of progress long needed in the quest for truly useful household helpers. Now a new AI model has arrived to power robots through activities, including folding laundry, constructing boxes, fixing other robots and even filling wallets with flimsy paper money.

Earlier this month, California-based company Generalist AI released Gen-1, a new physical AI model that makes robots capable of performing all of these tasks (and more) with success. It’s a big step forward in terms of robots designed for the real world based on intelligence born from the real world, Pete Florence, co-founder and CEO of Generalist AI told me.

In most of the example videos published by the company, Gen-1 is seen running on a pair of robotic arms, but that’s not all it’s built for. «Gen-1 is designed to be the brain of any robot, meaning the same model can run on a humanoid, an industrial arm or other robotic systems,» said Florence.

Already, this has proved to be a breakthrough year for general-purpose humanoid robots, with companies including Boston Dynamics and Honor unveiling cutting-edge bots capable of uncannily humanlike movements. The market for robots is expected to explode, with one estimate from Morgan Stanley predicting growth to a $5 trillion market by 2050. Predictions see robots coming for industry, retail, hospitality and care environments before eventually landing in our homes. To get us there, we need to see further advances in AI.

Training robots to live alongside humans

Over the past few years we’ve seen large language models, such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, evolve at lightning speed. The same hasn’t been true of the physical AI models required to power robots, in large part because of a lack of data to train those models on. Robots — and especially humanoid robots — must learn to navigate a world built for humans just as a human would.

Often this data is collected from robots performing tasks while being teleoperated by humans, but not Gen-1. Instead, the dataset used to train Generalist AI’s models has been assembled by humans completing millions of different tasks using wearable technology.

«We built our own lightweight ‘data hands’ and distributed them globally to learn how people actually interact with objects, with all the subtle force feedback, tactile feel, slips, corrections and recoveries that define human dexterity in the real world,» said Florence. «That kind of data is critical for teaching robots physical common sense, the intuitive understanding and ability to adapt in real time rather than execute rigid instructions.»

Generalist AI has released a series of videos showing the model running on robots repetitively performing a range of different tasks, with the most compelling, perhaps, being a robot drawing cash out of a wallet before reinserting it into the same pocket. This is a fiddly task that many humans fumble over. It’s clearly not easy for the robot, either, given the flimsiness of the paper money and the fabric of the wallet — and yet it completes the task.

Another video shows a robot sorting socks by color, folding them in neat piles and counting the number of pairs using a touchscreen. Other tricky tasks the model can complete include unzipping and filling a pencil case with pens, stacking oranges in a neat pyramid and plugging in an Ethernet cable.

These videos show the breadth of Gen-1’s capabilities, but more impressive is the success rate with which it can complete certain tasks. Generalist AI measured the model’s hit rate against the previous version and found Gen-1 could successfully service a robot vacuum cleaner in 99% of cases (up from 50% for Gen-0), fold boxes in 99% of cases (up from 81% for Gen-0) and package up phones in 99% of cases (up from 62% for Gen-0).

Robots do improv

Most robots are programmed to complete a task in a specific and orderly way. But what happens when a curve ball gets thrown? «The smallest changes in the environment can cause failures,» said Florence.

An important skill robots need, which humans innately possess, is the ability to think on their feet. This is why Gen-1 has been designed with improvisation in mind so it can come up with strategies to complete tasks. Florence gives me an example of a robot using two hands to reposition an awkwardly placed part for an automotive task, even though it has only been trained to use one.

«This kind of creativity has been largely absent from robotics until now,» he said.

Significant work still needs to be done when it comes to beefing up robots’ improv chops, but early progress show glimpses of a positive impact on both reliability and speed, says Florence. «We’re beginning to see real progress and are excited to push the boundaries of embodied intelligence.»

After all, there may come a day when you need a robot in your house that can fix all your other smaller robots.